Every year we poke fun and dread early January at the gym when it will be crowded with the “resolution exercisers” … a sudden influx of people whom have decided, “this year I’m gonna lose weight and get fit!” For most this new-found inspiration to work out doesn’t last too long and we’re left with the old faithfuls. This has always left me a bit hesitant to set my own resolution… how hypocritical to not follow through!

A prime example, I googled “resolution” and one of the first articles to pop up came with the preview:

Postmedia News December 29, 2011: Nearly half of all Canadian women who make New Year’s resolutions give up on their goals by February, …

So, instead of “resolution”, I’ll call this my goal – something measurable and attainable. I’ve been contemplating it for some time – get back into run-racing shape. In my mind, this means being able to come close to and to possibly best my 5k, 10k, 15k and half-marathon times. No better way to set a measurable goal than with cold, hard numbers…

Distance

Time

Race

13.1 miles

1:47:57

Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon And Half Marathon (6/26/2010)

10k

48.21

Wahiawa Pineapple Run 10k (5/1/2010)

15k

1:18:38

2009 Norman Tamanaha Memorial 15K (8/16/2009)

20k

1:44:25

Runners Hi 20K (9/6/2009)

25k

2:15:59

Starn, O’Toole, Marcus & Fisher 25K (9/26/2009)

30k

2:58:40

P.F. Chang’s 30K (10/25/2009)

8.1 miles

1:06:50

Kaiser Permanente Great Aloha Run 8.1Mi Run (2/15/2010)

26.2 miles

3:59:01

Honolulu Marathon (12/13/2009)

This goal has been increasingly at the forefront of my mind ever since people began working themselves into a frenzy over getting the Honolulu Marathon special (…still going until January 3rd i’m told) $26.10 to register for the 2012 race.

For now, I’m still in the mindset that one marathon was enough for my lifetime – I met my time goal there and don’t think I want to discipline myself enough to beat that time, but I do admit all the talk about the Marathon has really left the running bug eating at me…

My excuse has been, I don’t want to compete if I can’t best myself and I’m simply not in the condition I was. Well, if I don’t TRAIN to get there again, It will never happen. I simply cannot expect to pick up where I left off speed or endurance-wise, so I started where I could, a treadmill interval workout an Ironman friend told me about years ago and it is a gem!I call it the ladder.

It is an efficient workout 30 minutes total and best of all, It can be adapted to any level of fitness start at your own speed whether walking, jogging or running and every week be sure to challenge yourself by increasing your speed! Here’s the basic structure:

Duration (minutes)

Speed (mph)

5

6

warm-up pace

5

6.5

speed up

1

6.2

recover

4

6.7

speed up

1

6.2

recover

3

7

speed up

1

6.2

recover

2

7.5

speed up

1

6.2

recover

1

8

speed up

1

6.2

recover

5

6

cool-down

Let me know your thoughts or if you’d like to join me for any training runs (the longer weekend ones especially), I’m open to new ideas!

Yet again, I am in awe of your energy and commitment to fitness. You’ll be far more successful having a goal instead of a resolution, especially if it’s a SMART goal (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time- and resource-constrained).